Catch Me if I Fall
by mewmewgodess
Summary: KaRe or KaiRei. The BladeBreakers versus the Demolition Boys... And Dizzi may not be the most emotionally understanding of them all, but she sure has good advice! One-Shot.


_**Catch Me if I Fall**_

"Are you ready for your match today?"

"Of course." Came the smooth reply.

They sat in silence for another couple of minutes, drinking their coffee and staring at their beyblades that sat on the table, waiting to fight for their masters. Rei brought the cup down and stared at his... _He's my boyfriend, I guess?_... Boyfriend for a moment, waiting for him to look up at him. The question of "what?" in those crimson eyes was answered.

"I know I've said it already, but... I'm really glad you're back, Kai."

Not one for words, Kai simply took hold of one of Rei's hands and gave it a light squeeze, and gave him a small nod to show that he was also glad to be back. He let go as footsteps could be heard approaching. It was definitely the Chief and Dizzi coming for some coffee, or tea, after a night awake analyzing their chances on the upcoming battles.

The Demolition Boys would be no easy victory, not like they ever had such a thing anyways, but despite all that was riding on it, the BladeBreakers were excited. It was fun going against people who thought themselves better and then proving them wrong. Because they would be proven wrong. The BladeBreakers wouldn't fail, they couldn't. Not when Voltaire and Boris wanted their defeat.

"Is Dranzer ready for the match?"

Kai smirked and used the hand that had been holding Rei's to pick up his beyblade. "Dranzer is always ready for a match." His pride for his bit beast was glowing in his eyes, only obvious to those who knew to look for it. Rei knew how much Dranzer meant to Kai, and always asked questions of the sort to show it.

After all, he liked when Kai asked how Driger was doing, seeing as he held as much pride in his bit beast as Kai did in his own.

"Hey guys!" Kenny greeted them as he entered the kitchen. He wasn't surprised to see them both sitting across from each other at the small table, seeing as they were always the first two awake. (Unless not sleeeping at all counted, then Kenny would be the first one up.)

"Morning, Chief." Rei greeted back. Kai didn't.

"And nobody says hi to the bit beast, typical..." Only then the two seated boys noticed that Kenny was holding his open laptop. He put Dizzi on the table while he made himself some tea.

"Good morning, Dizzi." Rei greeted the moody bit beast politely. Kai didn't. "Did you two find any data on the Demolition Boys?"

"All we have is what Kai's told us. They're very good at keeping themselves a secret."

"We'll win." Rei said assuredly.

"I sure hope so."

The sound of approaching footsteps made them halt, waiting for the blonde ball of energy to enter the room. Rei smiled lightly at Kai, who at the sudden show of happiness, exited the room.

Max asked if he did something wrong, but Rei shook his head. Just typical Kai.

**OoOoO**

After the first round, as Kai took his seat after his defeat, Rei let their hands touch for a brief moment, showing his support and understanding to him.

It wasn't needed though. Kai wasn't upset by his first loss against Spencer. He'd done his best, and that was enough for him. When he walked away, thinking over the possibilities of winning the next round, he spoke with his grandfather. Using the cursed bit beast would win him the match easily, but he'd lose everything else. His friends, his freedom, himself.

Even after losing the next round, costing them the first match of three, he wasn't unpset. Had he been on the Demolition Boys team and lost, they would have done some serious damage to his ego. He couldn't have walked out of a loss with his head held up high. Smiling lightly at his team, the BladeBreakers, (more like smirking, but it was more than usual), he walked into their cheery circle feeling accomplished. He may have lost, but he did it on his own terms, and no one elses.

And thus, he may not have won, but he had the most supportive team he could have ever dreamed to have. If he were the kind of person to allow himself to dream, that is. Seeing the smile on Rei's lips, he knew that he would avenge his loss the next day. Because Rei cared for him, like the others on the team.

Then why was it so hard to accept?

**OoOoO**

That night, Rei and Kai were the last two awake, talking amicably at the same table they had been at earlier that morning.

"That was an awesome battle to watch." Rei commented on Kai's match.

"It was actually really..." He trailed off.

"Say it!" Rei pressed, smiling at Kai's stubborness.

A sigh. "It was fun. I guess I got so wrapped up in the game that I forgot that it was actually a game and not some sort of life or death situation."

"Actually, with us..."

"True. We do somehow manage to almost get killed in every city we land."

Rei laughed lightly, and stopped suddenly. Staring intently at the entrance, and soon enough Kenny walked into the room, getting himself something to drink. They stopped talking as the young boy walked about, and only after a minute or so did he realize there were already two people in the room.

"Oh! Rei, Kai, what are you still doing up?"

"I should say the same about you, Chief." Rei replied.

"I'm just making sure your blade is in tip top shape for tomorrow's match."

"Alright, don't stay up too late." Rei called as the boy slowly walked out of the room, in a half-asleep daze. Rei stared after him, then turned to Kai, "Isn't he talkative when he's tired." He commented, then smiled, "Look who I'm talking too."

"Shut up, Rei." Kai huffed, rolling his eyes.

The golden gaze returned to the entrance, where the team's Chief and mechanic and techy had gone through, "When are we going to tell them about us?"

"Can we not do this now?"

"I know why you don't want the public to know, but I... Our friends deserve to know. The friends we happen to live with for most of the year. And if we don't do it now, when will we?"

"After all of this." Kai said simply.

"Yes, when I return to China and you go home to Russia. What a lovely plan." The sarcastic comment was met with a glare.

"We already agreed to stay in touch as much as possible. We're going to figure things out, Rei. And now's not time to dwell on these things. You have a big match tomorrow."

"I know... It's just frustrating."

"I understand." Kai got up and walked over to his side of the table. He bent down and kissed him softly on the lips, "Come to bed, alright?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute."

Kai nodded and left the room. Once his figure was out of his line of sight, Rei let his head rest on the tabletop. How had he gotten himself into such a situation?

He and Kai had only started going out when he returned to the team. Apparently the feeling had been mutual for a while, because the first time they were alone together was awkward until Kai finally asked Rei on a date. But now that he was happy with Kai, he suddenly realized how many obstacles were in the way.

They lived far away from each other, they both had backgrounds that wouldn't really approve of their choice in mate, and simply put, they had a team to think about. But he really cared for Kai and he was willing to overcome those steps to keep their relationship working. He just wasn't sure if the same could be said about Kai.

Tired, but still too thoughtful, he made a final round of the small hotel. Max and Tyson were sleeping, (one snoring rather noisily, guess which one), and Kenny was still working with Dizzi. Rei went to the young boy and took the laptop away from him in a heartbeat. Driger wasn't the only one who was known for his speed.

"Hey!" Kenny exclaimed, reaching out for Dizzi.

"Sorry, Chief, time for you to go to bed."

Kenny sighed, but to make even more obvious how tired he was, he didn't protest. "Alright, night, Rei."

When Kenny left the room, he sat down on the previously occupied chair and put the laptop down. As he made to close it, Dizzi spoke to him.

"You seem a bit upset. Did you get into a lover's quarrel?"

"It's not a quarrel, just a slight bump in the road."

"It seems to be quite a bump to be getting you down this much."

"Oh, Dizzi... You have no idea." Rei sighed, and they were in silence for a moment, before his eyes snapped up to the laptop, "Wait! You know about me and...?"

"You and Mr. Sourpuss? Yeah. It's obvious to a computer that there are sparks flying around between the two of you."

"Have you told Kenny?"

"I didn't think it was his business. The Chief already has enough to think about right now anyways."

"I suppose..."

"Do you want to talk about it or something? I'm all ears. Or microphone... I don't understand human emotions at all though, so forgive me for not getting why you're so upset while you explain. I'll do my best to place my 'oh dear's and 'he did what's where they belong."

Rei perked up slightly, "That's perfect, Dizzi! I don't want to look at this relationship from an emotional point of view. Tell me, from a logical point of view, does my relationship with Kai stand a chance? I mean, we don't live in the same country, and at home we both have homophobic people waiting for us, and what if this messes up the group? What if we were to break up? Would everything be awkward?"

"Slow down there, Tiger. Alright, you want a logical point of view, here you go. Ever heard of anything called a tag team bey battle?"

"I think so, yes."

"Well, the matches are done in groups of two. I've analyzed the four bladers on the team and have deduced that you and Kai would be the best working pair. Neither of you gets on the nerves of the other, you work well together, and you respect each other. It's a perfectly logical partnership."

"What about a relationship?"

"Also logical. You're stressing on the little things. By analyzing both your personality traits, the two of you work very well together. Stop thinking about what could happen. Yes, you live far from each other. But Max's parents are constantly apart and they're still very happy together. I can't say anything about the people who will disapprove, because there will always be people like that... But as for the team? The team will be just fine. No matter what happens. You and Kai are big boys. You're both able to keep your personal problems out of the dish."

"Are you sure, Dizzi?"

"Yes. My analysis is thorough. But, there is only one way to be sure. Do you love Kai, Rei? I believe the emotion called love is what is considered the main influence in relationships."

"I... I do. I wasn't sure before, but just... I can't imagine us breaking up. I can't imagine losing him. I love him, so, so much..."

"I'm sensing a 'but' here."

"But I don't know if he feels the same. I mean, this is as new to him as it is to me. He's always had a hard time facing his emotions, and I'm not sure if he could ever love me..."

"For now, do you think that him liking you is enough? I've been told that love is something that develops and takes time to build."

Rei looked up at the laptop, and smiled. "Yeah, if he likes me that's plenty. He's trying, and I'm trying, and that's enough for me. I mean, sure, I'd love for our friends to know and to be able to kiss him when I want to, but I think we're doing good. I think we'll be just fine, as long as we both just keep putting our all into this, and I know that he is, and that I am. Thank you, Dizzi. This is exactly what I needed. Good night!"

"Good night?" She was uncertain how she'd helped, but didn't oppose to being shut off for the night.

Rei went to his and Kai's shared bedroom and climbed into bed. His smile never left as he curled up next to his boyfriend, enjoying his body heat. This was plenty.

**OoOoO**

Rei was excited to battle Brian. He was excited to get the chance to avenge Kai's loss, and to put their team back on the track to winning. He wouldn't lose. He refused to let that happen. Even after receiving a chunk of the stadium in his gut.

It had hurt, at first he thought it had hurt a lot, that is, until the wind began to attack him. The first round was lost, simply put, he'd been caught by surprise. He hadn't expected that. Never would have. Thrown back by the force of the wind, he fell to the ground, Driger near him. Immobile.

In their prep room, his team had placed him on a chair, so he could recuperate until his next round. They didn't know if he should go back out there, but he knew. He was going to. He had a mission to uphold. With a smile shared with Kai, he got off his chair, feeling completely energized.

The dish was waiting for him.

And the dish, and Brian, had been waiting for him it seems.

The physical assault was completely unfair, but he knew there was nothing that could be done about it. Air is air after all. Not normally a weapon.

Being able to sustain the first attack was what gave him the ability to win the next round. If he could do it once, he could do it again. Even when his team... Kai, had tried to pull him out of the fight, he refused. He could win it. For his team. For Kai.

He'd vowed to himself to win.

And as Brian's blade flew out of the dish, he felt accomplished.

Unfortunately, when his consciousness returned, he was back in the prep room, getting looked after. He'd used up all of his energy in that last round...

They didn't want him to continue. It was too risky. Brian would go to any lengths to win, but his team didn't realize that he would too.

He wasn't going to lose, or give up. The BladeBreakers had a chapionship to win.

Back at the dish for the final round, he and Brian had a standoff. Neither of them wanted to back down. Rei was ready to put his all into the battle, not caring how much of his energy he was using, or how hurt he was getting. All that mattered was winning. And he would, as long as his team continued to cheer for him.

His clothes were in shreds, his bandana completely torn off and his hair tie with it. The BladeBreakers had never seen him so unkept. Kai could never truthfully say that he didn't like it...

Driger protected his master, because Rei would do the same for him. With a roar, both by master and bit beast, they pushed Brian out of the dish and claimed the match a win for the BladeBreakers.

Rei turned to his team, smiling more brightly than ever before. Tyson, Max, and Kenny were jumping around, hugging and cheering. His golden gaze met Kai's fiery one, and his smile grew even more. He could see pride in those eyes, and that made him even more proud of himself.

He stayed still as his secret boyfriend walked over to him, almost as if in a daze. Rei just watched him get closer, waiting to see what he would say.

"Rei..." Kai was very close now, "Never do that again, alright?"

"Worried about lil old me?" Rei managed to get out in his exhausted state, although his tone wasn't quite as sarcastic as he would have hoped.

Kai's hands went to his cheeks, and he flushed, mind blank as to what the other could possibly be thinking. Staring into those intense crimson eyes, he realized that his sarcastic question was actually realistic. Kai had been worried about him. The concern he could see made him breathless. As did the passion filled kiss that followed their silent exchange.

Rei didn't even hesitate before melting into the kiss that had grown familiar to him, yet was always somehow different from the one before it. His hands went to his chest, but as his energy continued to vanish, he gripped Kai's shirt tightly to keep himself from dropping to the floor.

They parted after a moment, still close enough to keep their breath mingling together.

"I'm going to fall." Rei stated simply, his eyes shutting slowly and his hands loosening their hold on Kai's shirt.

Kai's hands descended to his waist, where they kept a strong hold of him, "Not when I'm around."

Rei smiled and waited for another kiss, which he was granted happily.

"And um, the BladeBreakers win the second match! With Rei as the victor! And the usually cold Kai is certainly happy about it... Or perhaps happy that Rei survived such a challenging match. Either way, they're um... Ah, I'm just gonna stop now. Good luck to both teams in their final match, which will be held tomorrow!"

Before, and after, the Jazzman's comment, the stadium was filled with silence since the two boys shared their first kiss. That is, until a feminine voice broke through the air.

"You hurt him, Kai, and I'll kick your ass into next week!"

Rei broke the kiss with a soft giggle, not really having the energy to put more force into his laugh. He looked over at Mariah and smiled, unable to control his bemusement at the comment. The other White Tigers were laughing along with their female teammate.

Kai smirked at her, and nodded his agreement.

"Kai..." He muttered softly, regaining the boy's full attention, "We just went public."

"And I don't give a damn." Kai went in for another kiss.

"Why?" He asked when he had the chance.

"I talked to Dizzi this morning. She made me realize that this, this here," He said, looking over the stunned crowd and their smiling teammates, "Is alright. We'll be just fine."

"I'm glad." Rei mumbled and closed his eyes, letting his weak knees collapse.

Kai helped the medics get Rei onto a stretcher, and he went with them, ignoring (but secretly thankful) for the high-fives and smiles and just good reception coming from the other BladeBreakers about his and Rei's coming out.

Holding Driger in one hand, and Kai's strong hand in the other, he knew that he'd be alright. He'd get better, and Tyson would beat Tala the next day, and they would become the world champion bladers, and they would part, but they would be alright.

Kai was thinking the exact same thing as he held his boyfriend's weak hand. People came to talk to him, about the match, about Rei, about everything, but he ignored them. He only had eyes for Rei at the moment, because he wouldn't sleep until he knew Rei was going to be alright. Although he knew he would be. Rei was a fighter, and just as strong as a tiger.

Everything was going to be alright. They would be alright. Things were going to work out, because neither of them were ready to give up on each other.

* * *

AN: Hola. I've finally rewatched Beyblade! And obviously, this is my OTP. I'm working on a story at the moment, but I was hoping that those who have me on author alert will see this in their inbox and be like, "Beyblade? OMFG! It's been so long!" And then watch it and then want to read fanfics about it! See how brilliant I am?

This one-shot was just to get the stupid bunnies out of my brain. Anyone else find this pairing adorable? I know there aren't as many fans as there used to be, seeing as how old this show is, but I hope that someone out there will read this and enjoy it! (And remember the good old days!)

Thank you for reading! (Go watch Beyblade if you haven't in several years! Dooooo it!)

-MewMew


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